At least 50 cats found in Muncie man's mobile home

Authorities believe a Muncie man was living in a southside mobile home with at least 50 cats.
Corey Ohlenkamp/The Star Press

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Animal control units were on scene of a Muncie man's mobile home on the south side Monday afternoon after reports that he had at least 50 cats. So far 35 cats were removed from the home with conditions inside the home making it difficult to find the others.(Photo: Corey Ohlenkamp/The Star Press)Buy Photo

MUNCIE – Authorities believe a Muncie man was living in a southside mobile home with at least 50 cats.

Phil Peckinpaugh, director of the Muncie Animal Shelter, said 35 of the felines – including a half-dozen kittens – were removed from the trailer, on Haymarket Road in a mobile home park along Fuson Road, west of Ind. 3, on Monday afternoon.

Officials hope to remove the remaining cats – Peckinpaugh believes there are at least 15 – from the trailer on Tuesday. Some of those felines were in the ceiling of the mobile home, or underneath the structure, on Monday.

The cats removed on Monday were taken to the animal shelter. Some seemed “fine,” Peckinpaugh said, while others might have respiratory or other ailments. They will each be examined by a veterinarian.

While the cats had access to food, the conditions in the mobile home were “deplorable,” with the amount of feces and trash inside making it “very difficult” to conduct a search, the shelter director said.

A nearly overwhelming ammonia-like odor, from cat urine, could be detected from outside the mobile home. A shelter employee and a Delaware County sheriff’s deputy who went inside wore gas masks.

Sheriff Ray Dudley, who was at the scene, said it was possible the conditions in the trailer would lend themselves to animal neglect or cruelty charges. Deputy Prosecutor Steve Sneed was also present.

Peckinpaugh said it was possible the occupant of the trailer was “an overwhelmed rescuer.”

“It definitely appeared he cared (about) the cats,” he said.

The mobile home park is outside the Muncie city limits, but Peckinpaugh said ordinances in both the city and Delaware County place a limit of six cats per residence.

One dead cat was found. Its remains, in a trash bag, were found in the frozen foods compartment of the mobile home’s refrigerator.

A citizen’s complaint brought the situation to the attention of authorities.